1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of animal waste disposal and more specifically to a tray for use in connection with a cat litter box.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Owners of domesticated animals are often required to provide a box so the animal can eliminate waste within the home, e.g., a cat litter box. A problem that goes along with the box is that a sandy mess can occur in front of the cat litter box. The litter from the box is often tracked about the area where the box is stored when the animal covers its waste products or enters or leaves the box.
Commercially available litter boxes have sand guards and a hooded top to help minimize the litter from falling into the surrounding area. As the development of the cat litter box progressed, the sand guard and the hooded top both improved the neatness of the litter box area. However, while the sand guard and the hooded top both partially restrict sand from flying out of a cat box while a cat is using the box, there remains a need for products which stop the cat from tracking the sand which sticks to their paws out of the box after use. The bulk of the sand usually falls off within the first step or two a cat takes after leaving the box.
Prior attempts have been made to reduce the amount of litter which lands outside of the litter box area. Typically, this has been done by a non-adjustable physical barrier, ledge or panel. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,092,277 and 5,042,430 display a tray-like area raised above ground level. Not only may some cats be unable to jump to a raised platform, they may also be reluctant to step on a tray attached to the upper portion of the sides of the litter box.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,361,725, 5,220,886, 5,165,366, 3,885,523, 3,246,630, Des. 346,677 and Des. 351,684 all display a tray apparatus which is non-adjustable.
U.S. Pat. No. 351,693 displays a non-adjustable tray with a ridge on the front edge of the tray only which may permit sand to easily fall off the open side edges.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,218,930 and 4,766,845 both display trays of narrow width which cats may be likely to step over completely.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,550 consists of a covered litter box with a screen covered debris compartment and a vanity panel extending in front of the access opening. While this prevents the animal from jumping over the screen, the apparatus requires some disassembling and reassembling for clean-up of the excess litter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,464 shows an attached double tray which allows much of the sand to fly over the top of the litter box during use and the apparatus will not adjust to either room or cat size.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,083 discloses a pan member 12 which supports a shell for holding cat litter. The pan member 12 does not act to remove litter sand from the cat's paws, but provides aeration of the shell and allows the replenishment of deodorant materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,878 shows a litter container adapted for use by a pot belly pig with a ramp structure which allows the pig to enter and leave the container. The ramp is not adjustable.